ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY PRUDENTIAL: PENN STATE VS UTAH

December 31, 2022

PJ Mustipher

Penn State Nittany Lions

Press Conference

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Beaver Nation, we at the Rose Bowl media days. All the guys are getting an opportunity to speak in front of the cameras. I know some guys might be nervous but we're not new to this; we're true to this.

Been a great experience so far at the Rose Bowl. The treatment we've received from the bowl game has been the standard. So just appreciate all the work they've done for us. Can't wait to go put on a show in front of the whole world with Utah.

Q. You guys stepped out (indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: I don't even know. Everybody's been asking. I've been watching this game my whole life. So it's going to be tremendous -- like I don't even know. It's hard to describe, man. So many great players that have played here. So many great games. Some of the best football games we've ever seen have been played in that stadium. Just being a part of this rich history, tradition, man, I don't even know what I'm going to feel like.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Hey, let's just enjoy this. Soak it all in. My whole family, my friends, I know everybody in my life has always been a fan of the Rose Bowl and has always watched. So now that you get to watch somebody you know who is playing in it, just enjoy that because I know I'm going to enjoy playing in it.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: There are a whole lot of guys, especially in the NFL that I watch. I can't give you one guy because that would be me lying to you. I watched so many guys, whether it's D.J. Reader, Cam Heyward -- that's my short list of guys I watched, Kenny Clark, those type of guys, I love watching the NFL guys.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Flying around, having fun, trusting one another, playing at a high level, just doing our job. We really don't have to change who we are. We've had a great season. The Rose Bowl isn't going to change who we are. It's just going to raise our level of focus, attention to detail and all that, so we're just upping the standard.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Hey, I want to shout out to my people, mom, dad, my brother, my sister-in-law, my nephew, love you all, and my girlfriend.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: It's good. It's over now. So I graduated. So I'm done.

Q. What major?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Communication.

Q. Wait 48 hours?

PJ MUSTIPHER: No, it's been 10 wins. Not so many programs across the country are doing that. When you look at these teams across the country, there have been weeks where they're losing to people that they really shouldn't lose to.

And as far as our record, 10-2, since I've been here we've only won 10 games twice. And I've been here for five years. It's definitely been a successful season. Not going to take away from everything that all the work that we've put in and the success we've had.

But at the same time we understand what's on the line Monday -- top 10 opponent, Rose Bowl. What better way to cap off this season? But as far as, as of now, I'm very happy with my season. Just going to want to end it off right.

Q. Looking back, are you able to pinpoint that was the (indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: You know what's funny, I think the most pivotal is our two losses. I think our two losses really helped shape our season because we had to learn. When the you're doing a lot of winning and you're having success, you don't really grow as much as when you're not experiencing the success and really failing, you know what I mean? We experienced that failure and we learned and grew from it.

Q. After Michigan, what do you think is --

PJ MUSTIPHER: Just understanding that we have the talent, understanding it's not a talent thing. It's just us trusting each other. If everybody does their job and the man to the right and the man to the left you have to trust and you'll be where you're supposed to be.

When you look on the film, no one is out dominating us, no one is out -- the physicality aspect, nobody is doing better than us, but it's just the small things, the attention to detail.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Yeah. We just gotta finish. We're winning the majority of games. Just gotta finish. It's just small details that we've got to fix. And moving forward I think we understood what we had to do and we made some adjustments.

Q. Don't get 10 wins (indiscernible) reflect that. The week after...

PJ MUSTIPHER: Right. Absolutely.

Q. Remember Brandon Bell, linebacker?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Yes.

Q. He had this whole (indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Yeah, I would say rapping on the mic would probably get everybody's attention. No, I ain't going do all that.

Q. (Indiscernible) how do you flip the switch? As a leader of this team how do you flip the switch, when do you flip the switch, is it after today or when?

PJ MUSTIPHER: No, I think anytime -- I think we understand when we have to flip the switch. We played an entire season. We understand when it's time to lock in and when it's time to relax and enjoy your teammates.

So up to this point I think we've done a great job of that. And for me personally, you know, whenever we are in the meeting room and we step out on that practice field, the switch flips instantly, not just myself; we're all locked in.

Moments like these, no need to be locked in. We play on Monday. We're just going to enjoy everything. But when we practice today, locked in. And when game day rolls around we'll be locked in, too. Moments like these you've just got to enjoy them.

Q. Same question for some of your teammates, I assume you have one more (indiscernible) is it more emotional? How does that work?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Yeah, definitely. I love my teammates so much. I'm going to miss them. And I do love this game, but I am appreciative of everything Penn State has offered me and the people I've met.

I'm definitely going to be emotional from that standpoint. But as far as the game, I'm going to leave it out on that field because like you said I don't have another go-around. I'll leave everything I've got out there with my brothers, and hopefully we get in that win column.

Q. What's your favorite meal so far?

PJ MUSTIPHER: Favorite meal? Probably that food on that airplane, first class, you know how I get. (Laughter).

Q. How was it being a meat lover?

PJ MUSTIPHER: It was dope. One of them experiences I never thought I'd be a meat cutter, but I enjoyed doing it with the team.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: You know me, sometimes be uptight. Just thought I'd give him the first piece of beef and hopefully that would relax his mind.

Q. (Indiscernible)?

PJ MUSTIPHER: I don't know. To be determined. (Laughter).